I have ordered from Augason Farms for many years (I usually get the whey milk, Morning Moos, but now also get the bean burger mix), and I read yesterday that they are completely out of stock and are closing for three months. I see that there are several other suppliers of Augason Farms still advertising, including Walmart and Amazon; but not sure if the orders would go through or not. There is a good possibility that people who have not already at least started stocking up, may find shortages and not be able to do so. We are definitely not prepared for a long shortage, but I have been stocking up on canned foods, beans, rice, lentils, and similar foods. https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2021/10/12/augason-farms-shut-down/
The Augason Farms shutdown has sent ripples through the prepper community and is affecting the new preppers, who may be playing a part in the shutdown by trying to stock up. Some of the retailers may themselves have stockpiles that they are still selling, probably at increased prices, just to get the stuff out of inventory. The supply chain continues to crumble, and courage is beginning to spread though the population. We will see where it all ends. I haven't heard anyone predicting starvation or famine here, but some hardship is already rearing its head, especially among the poor. I understand many Black Americans living in New York City are being shut out of everything because they distrust the government and refuse to get the "shot". The increases in energy prices from Biden's attack on the American energy industry raises the cost of everything. For some reason, the Administration is punishing American production while begging Saudi Arabia and even Russia to make up for our energy shortfalls.
???SHTF? I was just listening to info on Civil Asset Forfeiture. That is a process where, if you are stopped and found to have cash on you, a cop can just take the money. The reason? It could be drug related. Even if it is not, you must sue to get your money back and it will cost more than the money to sue, and take up to a year. And I was worried about roving bands during the apocalypse. This Michigan attorney said it is in all 50 states and that it could be fixed but the police get a portion and the gov't gets a portion. So why would they? aside: this is not Biden's doing. Of course they are trying to push us into a cashless society. And the NDAA law is redone often and it states that the government can take whatever you have if they see it is necessary.
Yeh, that violates so many Constitutional rights it's not funny. The fact that is exists in any form is sad testament to the failure (corruption?) of our legislature and our judiciary. And then-Senator Biden introduced the Comprehensive Forfeiture Act in 1983 and it became law in 1984. Biden's bill was not the beginning of asset forfeiture, but it greatly expanded the governments' powers and greatly lowered the bar for its use. He did this to show he was "tough on crime."
I did some more "prepper shopping" today. I went to a Chinese market and an Indian market and bought rice and dried beans for meals, and some seeds (fenugreek, black mustard) & beans (mung, soy) to sprout. The prices at these places are amazing. I bought brown Basmati rice for cheaper that I can get plain white rice at Walmart. And I paid 40%-50% less than I would have on Amazon for some fancier rices (red and black cargo rice) that are high in fiber and nutrients. I can add the fancy rices into the mix with the regular stuff to stretch it. The woman at the Chinese market told me she is starting to see supply issues. Damn these idiots who hate success and try to destroy a nation because they are so small-minded.
Good for you, @John Brunner. I have heard that rice is becoming difficult to find in some markets. I guess people think of it as a front-line survival food, and, while there is something to be said for that, life can be pretty boring if you have to subsist on rice and beans. Better than starving though. I new a homesteader (REAL homesteader) who stocked up on rice and soybeans only to find out that he and his wife absolutely could not tolerate soybeans. They caught fish and used the rice with that.
THAT would stink. I was thinking that sprouting soybeans and mung beans might be a good nutrition option. I've not looked at rice availability in grocery stores (AlaskaGranny says 60# of rice/person/year), but in general the standard fully-stocked look is starting to crack. A couple of the customers I chatted with in the stores yesterday had mentioned not being able to find certain items. Add in the PA system background of "being masked" and "all doing our part," and it takes on a surrealistic Sci-Fi air. Regarding a boring diet: I kinda think that might put a dent in our obesity issues, huh? Nothing like having the same thing day in and day out to make one push the plate away after we've taken in the required allotment of calories.
I have been reading about getting enough fiber in the diet, (called Fiber Fueled) and one of the things that was in the book is that people who do not eat very much legumes (as an example), do not have the digestive enzymes to deal with the beans. He says that these people are the ones who need better gut bacteria, but they can’t just start eating lots of beans. He said that they have to start with small amounts so that their body can learn to digest the legumes and fiber, and then gradually add more to the diet. As far as the sprouting, soy and mung beans should be fine, even for someone who can’t eat the cooked bean, because they have changed completely once they start becoming a green growing plant. However, both of those sprouts do best when slightly cooked, unlike the fenugreek which is used raw and turns to a green mush (yes, I tried) when you add it to anything that is being cooked. Places that are not covered in snow in the winter can also forage wild greens to supplement the rice/legumes diet. We have lots of violets here and the plantago (green plantain plants), and many leaves are also edible when cooked. Left to our own devices, most of us tend to choose our food by what tastes good, rather than what is the most healthy foods we can eat. This is probably why we never ever hear of anyone being addicted to broccoli instead of ice cream. I have definitely found that when my food is boring, I get full a whole lot faster.
Sprouting is always a good thing, and putting the sprout jar in the window for a day or so can boost the nutrition even more. Yeah, boring can reduce obesity, but in a survival situation, obesity is a good thing. That is why we get fat, especially if you have a high-stress lifestyle or job. Calories are the first thing to be concerned with in a survival scenario, and if you are carrying extra calories, you don't have to seek them out. When I was mentioning boredom, I was just reporting what others have told me. One of the things people neglect when stocking up are herbs and spices that can be used to alter the taste of stuff, so that even if you are eating beans and rice for weeks or months, spices can change the taste of dishes in order to make life more enjoyable. Many herbs you van grow yourself, but things like pepper and allspice aren't generally producible by the backyard gardener even in Virginia or Alabama.
I've mentioned before that I went meatless for a while, and my body stopped making the digestive enzyme that breaks down red meat. It hurt at first, and then I adapted back. And I, too, got full faster when I stopped eating caloric-dense foods...I felt satisfied, not bloated. I know that seeds (and nuts) contain an enzyme inhibitor that soaking removes so we can digest them easier. I wonder if beans have a like-kind enzyme.
So as always, I may nave leapt before I looked...and I knew better on this one. I recently bought brown rice, red rice and black rice. They are all nutritious because they still have the bran & germ attached, but that reduces their shelf life. Am I correct in what I read that under the best of storage conditions, I'll only get a year out of them? Does anyone have any tips of experience with this?
Intact grain of any kind will store best frozen. Grain on the shelf may go rancid, as it still has all the oils in it and the oils are not stable but it will not kill you; it just may taste bad but it is better than starving. Whole grain flours also store best frozen.